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Spike (Jackson MacDonald) and Buffy (Taylor Cox) share a moment during rehearsals for the Fort High musical theatre presentation of Joss Whedon's Once More With Feeling. The musical is half of the fundraising event the school is putting on alongside Fort Junior High tomorrow at the Shell Theatre. Proceeds from the event, called When Worlds Collide, will go to support the two school's spring productions. Jonathan Milke/Record Staff

This Friday, get ready to enjoy the dramatic efforts of the Fort's youth as the Shell Theatre presents When Worlds Collide.

The event will allow junior and senior high school students to showcase their talents and raise some money for their drama programs while doing so.

Members of the Fort High School musical theatre class will perform Joss Whedon's Once More With Feeling, while the students of Fort Junior High drama are presenting a variety show with numerous sketches they wrote themselves.

"The idea was for a short musical, something not overly complex costume or set-wise," said Fort High drama teacher Greg Montemurro.

He explained he chose to do the musical episode from TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer in large part because the show featured a fairly large main cast, meaning more students got solo parts.

Fort Junior drama teacher Laura Burdett said the younger group would be presenting a mix of live and pre-filmed materials, a format she was inspired to when she saw some comedy shorts written, filmed and edited by a group of students.

From there, the group wrote 17 sketches that will include a number of pop culture parodies, including Locker Hoarders, Cribs and Ghost Hunters.

Burdett noted only the grade nine students would be involved in the production, adding it was a chance for them to get the spotlight as opposed to the open auditions for the school's spring production.

Planning for the event began in the spring, but it wasn't until mid-September that preparations began in earnest.

For their part, the students are excited to have this chance to strut their stuff.

"It's really awesome," said junior high student Shaleigh Klebak, who plays a number of roles, including the Tin Man, a Ghost Hunter and a cool chick.

"It's a bunch of people coming together to work on these scripts."

Although involved both in the pre-filmed and live segments, Kleback said she prefers the stage. "It's fun to listen to the audience and to watch their reaction."

At the same time, she noted pre-filmed events require less precision. "You can giggle and mess up and it still comes out awesome looking."

Her fellow student Richard MacLean agreed. "The reaction from the crowd gives you that oomph to keep going," he said.

MacLean is a key figure in the Junior High production, as it was he who showed Burdett his YouTube comedy sketches.

From there, he became the main video editor for the project, something he said took a bit longer than expected.

He also helped write a number of sketches, including pieces called Skit Skit Bang Bang and Rick the Sensitive Bodybuilder.

"It's been great," he said. "I love doing plays and making videos."

While the junior high students were doing mixed media with a variety of roles, the high school students were able to talk about playing established characters.

"He's an interesting character," Jackson MacDonald said of his role, Spike. "He's a hard guy, but soft on the inside."

Jackson said he was unfamiliar with Buffy before beginning work on the musical and was challenged by his part, as he had to tone down his own persona to play the "cold" Spike.

"Spike's not a joker; I can't play with humour. It's more of a colder role.

"He likes Buffy, but he doesn't like to show that he likes her."

The object of Spike's affections is played by Taylor Cox, a grade 10 student who explained she was largely interested in coming to Fort High for the musical theatre program.

She said Buffy is an interesting role. "There's almost a dam her emotions are hidden behind," Cox said. "At the end, it all comes out; it's all there."

Playing Giles, mentor to Buffy, is Taylin Schoepp. She explained it was "definitely different" playing a character much older than the others but laughed, adding she can handle the role because "I'm really motherly and bossy."

Montemurro explained the idea of a joint effort from the schools came from Shell Theatre program supervisor Elizabeth Budd.

"It's been an incredible experience," he said, adding the event will provide technical, lighting, sound and stage experience prior to the group's big show in May.

"Any time we can get students on the stage is wonderful," he said.

The event will help both schools raise money for their spring shows, with ticket profits going back to the two drama departments.

"The Dow is basically donating tech time and stage time," Montemurro noted of the When Worlds Collide event.

Next spring, Fort High will present The Phantom of the Opera, and Fort Junior High will be performing The Music Man.

When Worlds Collide runs tomorrow evening at 7:30 p.m. at the Shell Theatre. Tickets are available at the Shell Theatre box office, through Ticketmaster or by calling 780-992-6400.